The disturbance in the west-central Caribbean has become a little bit better defined, and the chances of it developing into a tropical depression or storm have gone up in the latest outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center.

In the center’s 8 p.m. Friday update, the disturbance was still reported to be nearly stationary between Nicaragua and Jamaica, and it poses no immediate threat to the U.S. coastline. But as it sits over the next two days, heavy rains threaten to bring flash flooding and mudslides to parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and southeastern Cuba.

Its future path remains uncertain.

The hurricane center gives the disturbance a medium chance — 30 percent — of developing into a tropical depression or storm over the weekend.

The center is also monitoring a disturbance about 325 miles east of the Mexican coast, but is not giving it any chance of development over the weekend.

The disturbance in the west-central Caribbean has become a little bit better defined, and the chances of it developing into a tropical depression or storm have gone up in the latest outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center.

In the center’s 8 p.m. Friday update, the disturbance was still reported to be nearly stationary between Nicaragua and Jamaica, and it poses no immediate threat to the U.S. coastline. But as it sits over the next two days, heavy rains threaten to bring flash flooding and mudslides to parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and southeastern Cuba.

Its future path remains uncertain.

The hurricane center gives the disturbance a medium chance — 30 percent — of developing into a tropical depression or storm over the weekend.

The center is also monitoring a disturbance about 325 miles east of the Mexican coast, but is not giving it any chance of development over the weekend.

A dense fog advisory has been issued through 10 a.m. Wednesday as visibility has been reduced to less than a half mile, notably in the western suburbs, the National Weather Service in Miami says.Broward County cities include: Coral Springs, Sunrise, Davie, Hollywood and Pembroke Pines.

Tomas continued strenghening as it moved north-northeast toward eastern Jamaica and western Haiti, and tropical-force winds were hitting the southwest coast of Haiti, the National Hurricane Center reported in its 11 p.m. advisory.

Tomas isn’t projected to grow into a hurricane until it is north of Cuba. However, because it holds potential to intensify quickly over the next day, hurricane warnings remain in effect for eastern Cuba, western Haiti and the southern Bahamas. No matter how strong the winds are, the main threat continues to be heavy rainfall.

At 11 p.m. on Thursday:

– Tomas was in the Caribbean about 100 miles east-southeast of Kingston, or 230 miles west-southwest of Port-au-Prince.

– It was moving north-northeast at 9 mph with sustained winds of 65 mph.

– The system’s rainbands already are spreading over Jamaica, Haiti and eastern Cuba.

Tomas strengthened and picked up speed during the past several hours, and still is forecast to either slide between Cuba and Haiti or over eastern Cuba on Friday.

It isn’t projected to grow into a hurricane until it is north of Cuba. However, because it holds potential to intensify quickly over the next day, hurricane warnings remain in effect for eastern Cuba, western Haiti and the southern Bahamas. No matter how strong the winds are, the main threat continues to be heavy rainfall.

At 8 p.m. on Thursday:

– Tomas was in the Caribbean about 90 miles southeast of Kingston, or 265 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince.

– It was moving north-northeast at 8 mph with sustained winds of 60 mph.

– The system’s rainbands already are spreading over Jamaica, Haiti and eastern Cuba.

After being weakened into a tropical depression Wednesday morning, Tomas returned to tropical storm status in the afternoon and maintained that status Wednesday night.

At 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Tomas was in the Caribbean about 295 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and 210 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, still crawling northwest at 6 mph. Sustained winds were still 45 mph.

A hurricane warning is now posted for Haiti, with a hurricane watch for the southern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. Tropical storm warnings are posted along the coasts of the southern Dominican Republic, Jamaica and eastern Cuba .

Here’s what has been reported about St. Lucia by the Sun Sentinel’s wire services in the past 24 hours:

Tomas struck St. Lucia as a category-1 hurricane Sunday, CNN reported Wednesday, and caused major damage by the time winds subsided Monday night.

Tomas killed at least 14 people and left seven missing in St. Lucia, where it caused more than $37 million in damage, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. In nearby St. Vincent, the storm wrecked more than 1,200 homes and caused nearly $24 million in damage to crops, especially bananas — one of St. Vincent’s top commodities.

Tomas also wiped out the banana crop in St. Lucia, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.

Ken Kaye is a veteran journalist, having worked more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and columnist. For the past 10 years, he has covered tropical weather, including the tumultuous 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.